"I want to go hiking!" - you decide. What's next? How to prepare for your first camping trip? With whom to go? What to take with them? And a thousand and one more questions are swarming in your head. Do not worry too much, our managers will prepare you for a hike with a club "Couloir" and answer all your questions. The first step on your part - to contact us in your favorite convenient way: via chat, social networking, email, phone, application... We will prepare the group and arrange everything, but from you too, some effort will be required, for example - the purchase of tickets, collecting personal equipment, training. About this we will tell in the article "How to go hiking.

Where and when to go hiking

First, you need to decide where and when you want to go camping. To do this you can use the selection of a hike on the parameters or the table hiking schedule. If you have any doubts when choosing a hike - you can always ask our coordinator for help. He will be glad to tell you which variant to choose, proceeding from your preferences and possibilities.  The route is chosen, the application form is sent, and the countdown to the trip is on. It's time to get ready for it.

Physical preparation for the trip

One of the most important factors of successful hike is sufficient physical preparation of all its participants. It's worth noting that most of our programs are designed for the most ordinary people, who are sitting in offices or at the monitor 24 hours a day, and do not do much physical activity. But the degree of pleasure in the prepared participant and not prepared at all can be quite different. Therefore, it is better to be prepared. 

Running for medium and long distances is the best way to develop endurance before a hike. It is necessary to run from 3 to 10 km, depending on the difficulty of your chosen program. It's not the speed that's as important as the distance itself. Run slower, but without stopping.  It is better to run 3-4 times a week. If possible, outdoors and on rough terrain.

Подготовка к походу - бег

General physical exercises - in addition to endurance we also need strength - because we have to carry a heavy backpack. Pull-ups, push-ups on the uneven bars, abs, and various pull-ups are the best. Also do not forget about squats with weights (barbell or maybe backpack?), because it is your legs that will get the biggest load. Remember, the ease of passing the route for you and for the entire group will depend on how seriously you take physical preparation before the hike.

You are also advised to read our detailed article about physical preparation for the hike.

Psychological preparation

Often, the psychological readiness for the difficulties and the desire to overcome them is a more powerful argument than the physical condition. What must be prepared for? First of all, to overcome yourself. You will have to do it regularly. After all, the campaign will be uniquely hard, most likely wet. You will have to live in unfamiliar conditions (tents) and endure unusual stress (long hikes, long climbs with a backpack). There will be moments when it will seem that you won't take another step upwards. And moments when you will be sure of it. Moments when you will curse the day you first came to our site...

But they will pass. Thanks in large part to the support of comrades like you, thanks in large part to the sensitive guidance of the guide. But after overcoming all the difficulties of camping life, you'll be more confident, because now you know what you're capable of! By the way, many people go to the hike for the difficulties and catch their overcoming this great buzz. Are you not one of them?

Психологическая подготовка к походу

Of course, there is a reverse side of the campaign, more enjoyable - it's funny stories in the evening around the campfire, jokes and anecdotes on the crossings, beauty (which you will not meet down, how not stretch), a mug of hot morning tea with a mind-blowing view and many, many other pleasures. But you're ready for them anyway).

Gathering your gear

Well-chosen equipment is the third in importance item. Here you should listen to the coordinator's advice and gather according to the list on the website. For each route we have prescribed individual list of equipment. You can find it in the tab "In the backpack".

If you don't have your own gear, then there are several options. The first is to borrow from friends. This is the cheapest. But not everyone has hiking friends. Then you can rent equipment. We recommend these options if you haven't hiked in the mountains yet and aren't sure you'll really enjoy it. How can you not like it, though?

The first time you rent or borrow gear, and when you realize hiking is your thing, you already buy your own. We have negotiated discounts with many stores for our customers. You can find them in the article: where to buy hiking gear cheaper.

We have a section on picking out hiking gear, and it's constantly updated.

Buying tickets on a hike

It is very important not to delay and not to miss the moment when tickets are on sale, especially for holiday dates (May, New Year). If we are talking about train tickets, we will try to remind you to buy on the opening day of sales. But do not yawn too. There are many of you, the dates are different, the manager is human, he can also forget. Buying tickets is, first and foremost, your job.

Подготовка к походу в горы

If we're talking about air travel, we can help you choose the best options. Also don't forget to ask if anyone from your city is flying on this trip - it's easier and more fun to get there together.

Prepay

For accomodation abroad we have an advance payment. We use this money to book hotels for the group and to buy plane tickets for the guide. In addition, this is an additional guarantee of your participation in the program. If you cancel the hike, prepayment is not refundable, but it can be transferred to another participant or will remain in your account until the next hike. Prepayment can be made in any way convenient for you.

Final confirmation of participation

A week before the start of the hike we will send you a letter with the contacts of your guide, the exact time of the meeting, and instructions. Be sure to check to see if everything is correctly marked with the rental and if we took into account the discount (if you applied for it). Now all you have to do is stack your backpack according to the list, without forgetting anything, and get yourself to the group gathering place on time.

Group Gathering

The exact place and time of the group gathering we send a week before the start of the hike. Your task is to arrive on time and not to get lost. So far, no one has gotten lost)) If any delays occur on the way, be sure to inform the guide or coordinator. Otherwise, if you don't show up on time without warning, the group won't wait long for you.

The hike itself

Here comes the long-awaited moment! Backpack on your shoulders, the trail ahead, new friends nearby. We listen to a briefing on the rules of conduct and safety precautions, we sign off - and go! During the hike try to show your best side, not to be mean, to help other participants and the guide. At the same time you should not "drive" yourself, trying to help everyone and everywhere and do everything yourself.

Как пойти в поход?

After the hike

You will return home a different person, because the campaign invariably changes something inside. And it changes for the better. Your body will need a few more days of rest, but your head will be fine.

If you took pictures - don't forget to share them with the participants, they are waiting for them. You can upload photos to our Facebook page. You can also create an album on your social networking site and put the hashtag #kuluarpohod, or send a link to the album to our manager.

In turn, we will be very grateful for your feedback - leave feedback on the site, Facebook and Google, and make suggestions. And if, suddenly, something in the campaign was wrong - please let us know about it. We try to be the best and always have to correct our mistakes.

Based on last year's results, we can give you a 98% guarantee that you'll like it=)